Congratulations to the crew of the R/V Point Sur for their Jan. 26 arrival at Palmer Station on Anvers Island, Antarctica. Their journey has already spanned nearly two months since departing from home – Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in the Monterey Bay area.

Earlier this month, the research team (John Evans, Ben Oliver, Malka Machlus, Stian Alesandrini, Jon Pratt, Marissa Wright, Scott Hansen, and Erin Shea) went on a field expedition to Tower Island collecting samples for their labs.

On the journey south, the vessel passed a large floating chunk of ice that on closer inspection carried a group of hitchhiking penguins.

The Drake Passage is vast and intimidating, but it is certainly not empty. During a remarkably smooth crossing, an hourglass dolphin shows grace and beauty in its natural environment.